Paddington Bear continues his vicious assault on moviegoers by ripping out your throat and feasting on your heartstrings as he delivers another highly enjoyable and pleasing marmalade-stuffed adventure.
In Paddington in Peru, the lovable British bear and his human family travel to South America to rescue poor Aunt Lucy from certain death. Or loneliness. Or something else entirely.
First off, I’m not a Paddington Bear mega-fan. The first two movies were well done and extremely likable, but you won’t find me licking the paws of Paddington 2 by declaring it the greatest thing since the invention of marmalade toast, as many other critics have so annoyingly done. Let’s be real, kids.
With a new director and different lead writers, Paddington in Peru risked a steep decline in quality following the revered Paul King era. But this third Paddington barely misses a furry step. Fun, funny, and delightful from start to finish, Paddington in Peru is another injection of pure bliss into your veins (even if Paddington wants to bite into them and chew the life out of you).
Though the returning players can more than hold their own, casting Antonio Banderas and Olivia Colman adds a jolt of fervor to the affair; Banderas especially goes all in, delivering a feisty performance that both kids and adults will love. Sending the crew off on a wild ride through the Amazon, complete with waterfalls, tarantulas, gold fever, and tree creatures, there’s little not to like.
Its only fault: the movie has more endings than The Lord of the Rings. I’ve got things to do, people. Marmalade sandwiches to eat.
Paddington in Peru is a lovely little movie, and I’m not one to use the word “lovely” to describe much of anything. I’d even argue I liked it more than Paddington 2. Sacreligious I know, but there. I said it.
It also helps that my six-year-old loved it. Captivated from start to finish, she already wants to watch it again. I’d be down for it.
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.
